MuggleNet Academia: Harry Potter as Comic Book Super Hero!

January 23, 2013 by 8 Comments

Washington and Lee University Associate Professor Christopher Gavaler is a novelist, short story writer and playwright by day in addition to his work in the classroom, but in his other worldly secret identity as ‘The Patron Saint of Super Heroes‘ he champions the serious reading of that lowest of genre writing, the super hero comic book.

Actually, he does that in the classroom, too, believe it or not, but I think you get my point.

Prof Gavaler joined me. Corentin Faniel of St. Andrews, and MuggleNet’s Keith Hawk to discuss his insights about the Hogwarts Saga when read as a comic book super hero piece, Read his blog post on the subject first and then listen in to a rollicking discussion of everything from Harry’s super powers and secret identity to what The Harry Potter Alliance and the Ku Klux Klan have in common (a lot more than you’d think, I’m guessing!). Voldemort and the greatest of all Super Villians? Oh, yeah. And Northrup Frye’s Anatomy of Criticism as well.

It was a real pleasure talking with Prof Gavaler about what makes stories work and how the power of Harry Potter and the best in comic book fiction relate to one another.

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: MuggleNet Academia

Reclaiming the “Discarded Image”: Guest Review of Dr. Monika Hilder’s The Feminine Ethos in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia

January 21, 2013 by 1 Comment

Last year, I had the great honor of writing the preface for a new and fascinating book by a delightful scholar. Unfortunately, since I wrote the Preface, it might be in poor taste for me to write the glowing review I would like post so that everyone would check out this fantastic contribution to Lewis Studies. So instead, I recruited my friend and fellow Narnian, the brilliant Ralph Lentz, to review the book. He produced this amazing essay, which I am proud to share. I believe his talents may be just as useful in English as they are in the History Department. We may steal him yet. Enjoy!

Reclaiming the “Discarded Image”:
Monika B. Hilder’s The Feminine Ethos in C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia
A Theological Review by Ralph E. Lentz II, Appalachian State University

C. S. Lewis wrote, by his faith and his studies, from a pre-Modern thought-world that was not schizophrenic—from a world that did not divide faith and reason, the natural and supernatural, fact and value. As a Medievalist, Lewis had digested the Whole, from Thomas Aquinas’ notion that grace perfects nature, to Nicholas of Cusa’s idea of the “coincidence of opposites.” In her brilliant new book The Feminine Ethos in C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia (Peter Lang, 2012), Monika B. Hilder reveals Lewis’s dedication to this pre-Modern, orthodox Christian vision of an integrated world of beautiful paradox. And, following Lewis, she does it in a wonderfully imaginative and subversive way by focusing on what she calls “theological feminism” (12, et passim.). Through her analysis of all seven books of the Narnia series, Hilder demonstrates how Lewis, far from being chauvinist and misogynistic (as some critics have charged), actually challenges the pagan conception of power based on force and the twisted image of sexuality that it supports. In contrast, Lewis’s use of “theological feminism” points to “another City”[1] where the “sword between the sexes” has been cast away, and where the contraries of Male and Female can become one without confusion or contradiction (cf. Genesis 2:24). A model of careful analysis, comprehensive scholarship, and eloquence, the book itself merits a substantial review—particularly in light of its theological implications. Hence the purpose of the present essay.
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Filed Under: C. S. Lewis, Elizabeth Baird Hardy Tagged With: , ,

Katniss and Bella Fight to the Death in Meadow!

January 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment

And the bad news from Forks just keeps getting worse. The fourth fire since November has burnt down a building in the hometown of the Cullens and Swans, this one the big garage where they kept the fire truck… Between the deaths in the meadow at the start of the Hunger Games on the Olympic Peninsula, look for an exodus from Forks soon.

Hat tips to Dave for the Forks news and to Sharon for the video!

Filed Under: Twilight

Potter Watch 2013, UNC-Charlotte: Call For Papers!

January 10, 2013 by 7 Comments

Listen Up, Potter-philiacs! Important Announcement for those with Important Thoughts to Share on the Hogwarts Saga: UNC Charlotte’s Harry Potter club is sponsoring the second annual Potter watch this April and you need to send in your talk descriptions now… Here is the letter I received from Michael Burson, the head of the club:

Hi, Mr. Granger, and Happy New Year!

My name is Michael Burson and I would like to announce the second annual Potter Watch Conference, Potter Watch 2013, taking place at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on April 6, 2013! The conference is being put together by the members of Potter Watch, the Official Harry Potter Club of UNC Charlotte, and we are so happy to be able to hold our conference for the second year
running!

Potter Watch was founded in 2008 and is dedicated to bringing Harry Potter fans at UNC Charlotte together to celebrate the books and films, discuss theories, share news, and hold great events like our annual Deathday Party, Yule Ball, Triwizard Tournament, and End of Year Feast.

At our conference last year, we had participants come from 4 states and over 11 universities and we hope to increase that number this year. We were also fortunate to have Dr. Amy H Sturgis, noted Harry Potter scholar, as our Key Note Speaker. We are currently contacting individuals to be key note this year.

We are already in the process of accepting papers to be read by their authors at Potter Watch 2013. The main focus of the conference will be on ways the fandom has changed over the years and where we think it is moving in the future. However, we will accept papers from any area of discussion, from literary to sociological to religious.

The information about the conference, our Call for Papers, how to submit, and how to get to UNC Charlotte can all be found on our website: http://www.potterwatchconference.com/

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Filed Under: Hog Pro Notes

Mythic Scribes: ‘Secrets of Fantasy Literature’ Interview

January 9, 2013 by 2 Comments

I gave the Convocation Lecture last fall at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, Pennsylvania. While there, I spoke in a public forum about the meaning of popular literature, to a group of English honors students, and to two Religious Studies classes taught by Dr. Anthony Dragani (largely about How Harry Cast His Spell). It was a full speaking agenda but the hospitality and the conversations there were first rate. I have nothing but happy memories of beautiful Mount Aloysius!

I promised Dr. Dragani that, when I got home, I’d gladly answer questions for a website run by fans and writers of fantasy literature that he enjoys, ‘Mythic Scribes.’ He sent those questions over the course of several weeks and let me know yesterday that the interview had been posted: Secrets of Fantasy Literature – Interview with Harry Potter Scholar John Granger.

If you’re looking for the short course on literary alchemy, ring composition, soul triptychs, and what I think makes a story work, this is the shortest possible treatment of those subjects. Let me know what you think!

Filed Under: Hog Pro Notes